About...New Bedford, a
coastal city in southern Massachusetts, was once the most
important, fabled whaling port of the United States. Herman
Melville wrote "Moby Dick" from its waterfront. After whaling,
the city gravitated into the textile industries, and since then,
its 95,000 residents have concentrated in the construction,
fishing, manufacturing and tourism industries.

The city was home to a large contingent of free blacks and many
abolitionists during the slavery period. After his escape from
slavery, Frederick Douglass settled in New Bedford and wrote about
the city in his autobiography. The city's rich history and
traditions are kept alive by several museums, organized tours and
monuments.

Job seekers will find the most common industries are construction,
public administration, accommodation and food services and health
care. Developers are reconverting old mills and warehouses into
residential and commercial areas. The old Manomet Mills along the
North End waterfront are being converted into mixed-income units
with a $30 million investment by a private developer.

Southcoast Hospitals Group continues to be a major employer for New
Bedford. Utility company ConEdison Solutions is investing $40
million to install solar panels on city properties in a program
that could bring electricity to 1,500 homes.